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Tag: Yahaya Bello

  • I remain bona fide member of APC – Bello

    Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi says he is still a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as there is no crisis in the state’s chapter of the party as being reported by the media.

    Bello spoke with State House correspondents on Monday at the sidelines of the Induction of New and returning governors at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    He said the outgoing and the incoming governors needed to be inducted so that they would be informed on the challenges ahead.

    ”I think all I can say about my state is that the APC is not in crisis in Kogi.

    ”The real elders and the real stakeholders, the youth, the women and people of integrity know that Kogi chapter of the APC is intact and that was why we were able to deliver the state for the President.

    ”We were able to deliver two out of the three Senatorial seats to our party; we were able to deliver seven out of nine House of Representatives to our party and for the first time ever in the history of politics in Kogi State we were able to deliver 100 per cent; that is 25 House of Assembly members in Kogi State.

    “If there is crisis there is no how we could have achieved this.

    ”So I want to assure you that the APC in Kogi is intact and I remain a bonafide member of APC and as a matter of fact, I rebuilt the party in Kogi State form the scratch to what it is today and we are able to achieve this feat.

    ”So those that are making certain passes of me leaving the party I think that is their wish and by the grace of God their wish will never be granted,” Bello said.

    On alleged misappropriation of funds by the state government, Bello said his administration had been transparent and could not be termed corrupt.

    He said that the state’s finances, starting from bailout funds to Paris Club refunds and bank statements were published in dailies.

    Read also: Kogi APC elders: no second term for Bello

    According to him, with the little resources the state is generating, his administration has been able to achieve a lot of infrastructural development, security among others.

    ”This is what was not done for the state in the past 20 years of Kogi State’s existence before I came on board but under three years we were able to achieve all these successes.

    ”Probably some might think we were using stones or sand to do all these but this is the prudent management of resources and the good hands that we were able to recruit in my cabinet and in governance in the state.

    ”So those that are making such comment; it is a strategy; it is either that they want me to perform more or they are simply living in oblivion.

    ”They don’t know anything that is happening in the state and they cannot participate in state’s politics as it stands today because we are doing politics of inclusiveness or exclusiveness, the way it was done in the past,” he said.

    On recent remarks allegedly made by the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, that he would not support him for a second term office, the governor said he did not believe the royal father would say so.

    He said that the traditional ruler is like a father to him and could not have said such that about a son that restored the real value of the traditional institution.

    Bello said he had repositioned the state in terms of security, addressing lopsided employment among others.

    ”You know what security situation used to be in the state and Ebiraland and today we are having a different story.

    “He should not be misquoted by the press or anybody.

    ”The Ohinoyi of Ebiraland is a revered person; we hold him in very high esteem; he will continue to be my father; my great supporter and by the grace of God, he is urging me to re-contest and also to do more than what I have done in this first term,” he said.

    The governor said he is giving the traditional ruler assurance that he would not disappoint him in terms of performance. (NAN)

  • Chief Imam of Ebiraland dies at 98

    The Chief Imam of Ebiraland, Alhaji Musa Galadima, has died in the early hours of Friday at the age of 98 years, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.

    Galadima, who was turbaned Chief Imam about 55 years ago, died in a private hospital in Abuja.

    He would be buried on Friday at Okene according to Islamic rites.

    He is survived by wives, children and many granchildren.

    The state governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, described Galadima’s death as painful in a statement in Lokoja.

    “He was a humble, gentle and serious Islamic teacher whose tutelage extended beyond Nigeria.

    Read Also: Imams urge politicians to shun violence

    “The late Chief Imam was God fearing, honest, disciplined, and obedient to the constituted authority especially the traditional institution,” the governor said in the statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Mohammed Onogwu.

    The governor urged other Islamic clerics to emulate the life led by the deceased.

    Bello then condoled with the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, Alhaji Ado Ibrahim, the deceased wives, children, relatives, friends, followers and the entire Muslim community over the death of the late Chief Imam.

    He prayed to Allah to forgive the shortcomings of the deceased and make Aljannat Firdaus his final resting place.

    NAN

  • Kogi governor cuts water, electricity supply to CJ’s residence, group alleges

    •Allegations against gov based on mere mischief – govt

    A civil society group –the Federation of Lawyers in Active Democracy (FLAD) – has accused   Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State of ordering the severance of water and electricity supply to the official residence of the state’s embattled Chief Judge, Justice Nasir Ajana as part of the pressure to force him out of office.

    The governor’s action, according to the group, is aimed at intimidating and overawing Ajana because he is not in the good books of the state government.

    Reacting to last Monday’s resolution of the State House of Assembly demanding the removal of the Chief Judge from office, FLAD President Arome Husseini said the motion defied logic.

    The statement dismissed as  “null and void and of no effect whatsoever” what it described as yet another instance of Governor Bello’s intolerance of democratic institutions, the separation of power and the checks and balances guaranteed by the constitution.

    The group  said the 1999 Constitution as amended Section 271 ( 1) 292 (1) (ii) (a) and the third Schedule paragraph 21 part 1 of the constitution which provide for the removal of a Chief Judge of a state were totally ignored by the House.

    It suspected that the Chief Judge’s travails may have begun on the day he resisted the governor’s alleged interference in a criminal case involving a ‘controversial federal legislator’ who was granted bail.

    It recalled how the state government punished two former Speakers of the state’s legislature by denying them access to utilities, the same punishment now being visited on Justice Ajana.

    It said: “a Speaker that was illegally installed was equally forced to resign within one year after he complained during public sitting that Governor Bello was harassing and intimidating him!

    “In both cases, utilities like water, electricity and communications were severed from the official residences of these Speakers.

    “Today the utilities of the learned Chief Judge and the Deputy Governor of the State have equally been disconnected – all in an effort to intimidate and overawe these state functionaries into becoming puppets and stooges like has been achieved in the State House of Assembly.”

    It asked President Muhammadu Buhari to call the governor to order.

    The group vowed to use legitimate means including   petitions, demonstrations and litigations to protect the sacred institution of the judiciary from the governor.

    However, responding to The Nation on Sunday’s questions, Mr. Muhammad Galacticus Onogwu who is the Chief Press Secretary to the governor said Bello’s political successes had inspired endless mischievous reactions from embittered political opponents.

    Read also: Unease in Kogi over lawmakers’ stand on CJ Ajanah

    His words:”generally, the water system in Lokoja is under maintenance so, the shortage of water is across board and as I am talking to you, I am running a generator like any other person here in Lokoja.

    “The talk about us owing the state’s judiciary staff about 10 months’ salary because of the Chief Judge’s travails is a big lie; when the Federal Government gave us the Paris Club refund of about N13 billion in November last year, labour leaders and the state government agreed on collection of four months’ outstanding salary by every worker in person.

    “The judiciary workers refused to participate in the pay parade exercise for reasons best known to them and their salaries are lying there in the bank but they went on strike and even sued the state government.

    “We do not have any issue with the Chief Judge because the Kogi State government under Governor Yahaya Bello does not interfere with either the Judiciary or the legislature.

    “We are approaching the period of another gubernatorial election in Kogi State and those who are afraid of what the government has achieved thus far are already afraid of a big loss in the November election so, they are resorting t mischief because we have kept winning.”

     

  • Kogi judiciary alleges plot by Gov. Bello to sack CJ

    The judicial arm of the Kogi State government has alleged plans by Governor Yahaya Bello to sack Justice Nasir Ajanah from office.

    The judicial service in a statement issued on Tuesday, which was signed by Saqeeb Saeed, Senior Information Officer, Kogi State Judiciary, alleged that the plot being hatched by the governor to remove Ajanah as the state’s chief judge, is to use the speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly to illegally remove the chief law officer in the state.

    The statement read: “Events in the last few days have made it necessary for the Kogi State Judiciary to issue this press statement. The Kogi State Judiciary is aware of clandestine moves by His Excellency, the Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello to use the Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly to illegally remove the Chief Judge of the State, Hon. Justice Nasiru Ajanah, from office over some trumped up allegations.

    “This dangerous and ill-advised move is coming from the executive inspite of the fact that the matter is now before the National Judicial Council (NJC), and there is a subsisting court order restraining the governor from doing so.

    “The governor is advised not to do anything that will plunge the state into an unnecessary constitutional crisis. Rather, he should obey the rule of law and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which he swore to uphold.

    “Meanwhile workers of the judiciary should remain calm, as the rule of law shall prevail at the end.”

    As at the time of filing the report, activities at the state assembly indicate there are moves in the offing to ease Ajanah out from office as the Kogi CJ.

    It would be recalled that judicial staff members in the state had on Monday marched through some major streets of the capital, Lokoja, protesting the alleged plan to sack Ajanah as CJ.

    The speaker, Prince Mathew Kolawole, had however denied knowledge of such plan.

    Kolawole who was at the government house on Monday, responded to reporters’ enquiry on the issue in the negative, saying he was unaware of the name(s) of such person(s) making the allegations.

  • High level of indiscipline among Nigerian youths worrisome, says Rector

    The rector of the Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja, Prof. Mohammed Atureta, has decried what he described as the prevalence of various acts of indiscipline among Nigerian youths.

    Atureta, a professor of mathematics, who pointed at the ugly trend during the matriculation ceremony performed for the 3,200 new National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND) students of the school, lamented that cherished national virtues were being lost to myriads of social vices.

    He said that the school, as a reformist institution, will do all within its powers to deliver on its responsibility of molding its students into future leaders.

    READ ALSO: Kogi Poly Rector resigns as deputy steps in

    He commended the efforts of the Visitor to the polytechnic, Governor Yahaya Bello, for his support to the institution, despite dwindling state resources, and for providing the secured environment for learning, through his zero tolerance agenda for insecurity.

    “It is our responsibility to mold you as youths into future leaders. However, it is regrettable to state that the high incidence of indiscipline among Nigerian youths is worrisome.

    “The great virtues of hard work, dedication to studies, honesty, integrity and morality have been lost to social vices like indecency, list for money, lukewarm attitude to studies and various shades of immortality.

    “This polytechnic is a reformist institution where youths are prepared to face the challenges of life, such as unemployment after graduation.

    “In this regard, I will implore each one of you to take advantage of our entrepreneurship programmes by picking up training in one vocation,” said the rector.

  • Buhari, seven APC Governors meet in Aso Rock

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday met behind closed doors with six governors from the north and the Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The meeting held shortly after the President returned to Abuja after spending five days in Daura, Katsina State, where he voted in the governorship and state house of assembly elections.

    The governors are members of All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The northern governors at the meeting included Yahaya Bello of Kogi state, Nasir el-Rufai, of Kaduna state, Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi state, Abdulaziz Yari, Zamfara state, Abubakar Badaru, Jigawa state, and Kassim Shetima of Borno state.

    The meeting was still in progress at the time of filing this report.

     

  • Gov. Bello expresses shock over Prof. Adesanmi’s death

    Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi on Monday expressed shock over the tragic death of Kogi-born Professor, Pius Adesanmi, on the ill-fated Ethiopian Airlines flight ET302 on Sunday.

    Bello in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Onogwu Muhammed, described Adesanmi as an illustrious and proud ambassador of Kogi and Nigeria at large.

    The governor described the death as a personal loss, stressing that Kogi had lost an accomplished academia.

    He condoled the deceased scholar’s wife, daughter and family members.

    “We are really pained and shocked over the tragic death of our great son and proud ambassador.

    ”This is one death too many. The whole of Kogi State has been thrown into deep mourning.

    “Our sincere prayers and words of encouragement go to his young family, mother and the beloved ones he left behind.

    READ ALSO: Kogi: Faulty card readers stall Gov. Bello’s accreditation

    ”We shall continue to remember him for the honour and glory he brought to Kogi State and Nigeria through his literary accomplishments.

    “Prof. Adesanmi never denied his Kogi roots as he continued to draw our attention to areas that we needed to accord priority as a state.

    ”His words and submissions were always hinged on the need for government to address challenges facing our people.

    ”As sad as we are over this unfortunate occurrence, we have taken solace in the fact that his creator has called him home for good,” Bello said.

    NAN

  • Bello laments low turn out of voters

    Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State voted at about 8.38 a.m. at Agasa Uvete Polling Unit 011 in Okene Local Government area.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Bello and two of his wives spent about 15 minutes to go through accreditation and voting unlike February 23 when the card reader failure kept the governor for over two hours before voting.

    The process went smoothly with the card reader working well.

    Read Also: NLC, TUC, pensioners endorse Bello for second term

    Speaking after, the governor commended INEC for a job well done in terms of timely arrival of materials and personnel.

    Bello, however, observed that the turnout was not as impressive when compared with that Feb. 23 election.

    In Lokoja, the state capital, election started few minutes after 8.00 a.m. in many polling units.

    NAN reports that voting and accreditation were also going on peacefully in other parts of Okene like Adavi, Ihima, Okengwe, Eika and Kuroko, among others.

    The turn out was also picking up gradually, while the polling units remain peaceful with security agents in attendance.

    NAN

  • 2019: APC express dismay over poll outcome in Kogi West

    allege PDP of rigging

     

    The leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Kogi West senatorial district has alleged the state chapter of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of rigging last Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly election in the area.

    The party after a review of the exercise, in which the PDP and a fringe political party won the Senate and House of Representatives seats, across the Kogi West Senatorial district, vowed to rectify what it described as an anomaly.

    The APC won in the other two senatorial districts; Kogi East and Kogi Central

    The review document released on Saturday in Lokoja, the state capital, and signed by the Alhaji Isah Taufiq, Chairman, Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Kogi State chapter, expressed their “agony” over the poll outcome.

    “We note with dismay, the uninspiring performance from the senatorial polls results from Kogi West. We however promise to brace up and take a firm decision to correct the anomalies of the past in the next coming State Assembly election.

    Read Also: Akala to supporters: join me in APC

    “We discovered that was massive rigging by PDP in our area. We must demonstrate the agony and frustration we bear over leadership failures in Kogi West. We therefore tender unreserved apology to the governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello over the last presidential and National Assembly Elections.

    “We are meeting to restrategize on making sure we come victorious in the upcoming elections. We also apologize to our colleagues from the other senatorial districts particularly the Chief of Staff, Hon. Edward Onoja for the unfounded allegations against his person.

    “On a final note, having tendered apology to all concerned, we call on all APC members in the state, all stakeholders and all political appointees, to desist from passing blames and abuses across board against each  other. We are to be in unity and not display our ignorance in the public any further,” it read.

     

  • Akpoti rejects Kogi central results, heads for tribunal

    Senatorial candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Kogi Central Barrister Natasha Hadiza Akpoti on Thursday alleged Saturday’s National Assembly election in the district was compromised.

    She claimed she has evidence to this effect, saying she was compiling more to contest the results in a court of law.

    Barrister Akpoti, who came second to candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) alleged that ballot papers used in the election were already in the public domain days before the exercise.

    She also accused Governor Yahaya Bello of using security agents to intimidate her supporters, adding she was optimistic of recovering her mandate at the tribunal.

    Akpoti said: “What started as a peaceful election ended up being one of the most horrible daylight rapes of our democracy.

    “Ballot boxes were snatched and destroyed some by fire. Card readers were stolen and many tampered with to accept without verification and in many places card readers were not used at all.

    “Pre-thumb printed ballot papers were stuffed into the ballot box. Breach of the INEC security measure was evident with the use of 2015 stamps.

    “Multiple voting by illegally acquired PVCs was used in their thousands by APC Kogi State.”

    Natasha said her agents were harassed and chased out of many polling units in Okene, Ogori-Magongo, Ajaokuta and Adavi LGAs.

    Read Also: Police confirm three dead in Kogi

    According to her: “The aforementioned and more are provable by hard concrete evidence. We believe the judiciary is the last hope of the common man and trust that the rule of law shall be applied in defending the people’s mandate at the Tribunal.

    “The violence leading to intimidation and harassment of me and my supporters before, during and post elections.

    “On the eve of the elections, I was denied entrance into the state by 100+ Gov. Yahaya Bello’s Government house police led by his ADC. I had to take a detour from Abaji via Nassarawa, Keffi and Benue.

    “On arriving Okene at 9am, I met the same men who disarmed my security, send away my security personnel and blocked my vehicle from movements using tires and bricks.

    It took the efforts of the Force Headquarters instructing the Okene Area Commander to free me and my personnel.”